Marketing institute unveils plans to groom young professionals

The National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) has unveiled its plan to build the capacity of young marketing professionals.

Tony Agenmonmen, NINM president and chairman of Council, unveiled the plan at the launch of a coaching and mentoring programme.

Speaking during the launch of the programme, which held virtually, he said many senior marketing people have expressed concern about the dearth of professionals at the lower and middle marketing management levels.

He said, “It has always worried me, and I guess also many of us that have had the privilege of being developed and groomed.

“I am persuaded that we should not just continue to agonise and worry. It is our duty and responsibility to do something and to pass on the rich legacy of the training, coaching and mentorship that we got.”

According to him, the NIMN mentoring process is therefore expected to link experienced managers in the industry with less experienced ones, across companies and across states.

He said the programme is designed to foster the career development and professional growth of the young managers.

He said, “Good organisations need good marketing people to deliver their organisations’ marketing strategies. It is invariably these people that achieve the results. But good people do not come just for the asking, they do not come cheap either.

“They have to be attracted, selected, developed, challenged, rewarded and empowered to deliver very high performance to their organisations. Coaching and mentoring are necessary steps that will complement other efforts in the career development of our young marketing professionals.”

He explained that the pace at which technology and other factors are impacting the environment and the nature of work makes it imperative for all of professionals to commit to continuous learning.

He commended the first vice-president of the institute, Idorenyen Enang, and his team in the strategy committee of NIMN for the programme which they have worked very hard on and bringing to life.

In his presentation, a marketer, Ekwunife Okoli, charged the marketing professionals to build what he described as a “mousetrap” to accelerate their careers.

He said marketing professionals must strive to have the required qualifications, strategy, skills, experience among others.

According to him, coaching and mentorship give one a competitive advantage

Also, in her presentation titled, “Transiting from marketing to Entrepreneurship,” Bolajoko Bayo- Ajayi emphasized the need for professionals to always be ready to over value.

To do this, she said they have to be ready to learn and unlearn new ideas and strategies.